| The Nanny | |
|---|---|
_logo.svg){kind=logo} | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | |
| Developed by |
|
| Showrunner | Peter Marc Jacobson |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Ann Hampton Callaway (Pilot episode:Cy Coleman andDorothy Fields) |
| Opening theme | "The Nanny Named Fran", written and performed byAnn Hampton Callaway (performed withLiz Callaway) |
| Ending theme | "The Nanny Named Fran" (instrumental) |
| Composer | Timothy Thompson |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 6 |
| No. of episodes | 146(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Camera setup | Videotape;Multi-camera |
| Running time | 22–24 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | November 3, 1993 (1993-11-3) – June 23, 1999 (1999-6-23)[1] |
The Nanny is an Americansitcom that originally aired onCBS from November 3, 1993, to June 23, 1999, starringFran Drescher asFran Fine, aJewishfashionista fromFlushing, Queens who becomes the nanny of three children from an Anglo-American upper-class family in New York City. The show was created and produced by Drescher and her then-husbandPeter Marc Jacobson, taking much of its inspiration from Drescher's personal life growing up, involving names and characteristics based on her relatives and friends. The sitcom has also spawned severalforeign adaptations, loosely inspired by the original scripts. One of the most successful adaptations is the Turkish adaptation of the series "Dadı".
The show earned aRose d'Or,[2] and oneEmmy Award, out of a total of twelve nominations;[3] Drescher was twice nominated for aGolden Globe and anEmmy. The sitcom was the first new show delivered to CBS for the 1993 season and the highest-tested pilot at the network in years.[4] The series was hugely successful internationally, especially in Australia,[4] where it was one of the highest-rated programs of the decade.The Nanny has been called "the '90s version ofI Love Lucy" and "well written and entertaining."[5]
Fran Fine (Drescher) turns up on the New York City doorstep of BritishBroadway producer Mr. Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy) peddlingcosmetics after being dumped, and subsequently fired, by her bridal-shop-owner ex-boyfriend. Reluctantly, Mr. Sheffield instead hires Fran to be the nanny of his three children, Maggie, Brighton, and Gracie. In spite of his initial misgivings, Fran turns out to be just what he and his family needed.
While Fran manages the children, acerbic Britishbutler Niles (Daniel Davis) manages the household and watches all the events that unfold with Fran as the new nanny. Niles, recognizing Fran's gift for bringing warmth back to the family (as Maxwell is awidower), does his best to undermine Maxwell's business partner C.C. Babcock (Lauren Lane), who has her eye on the very available and desirable Mr. Sheffield. Niles is often seen making witty comments directed toward C.C., with her replying in a similarly witty fashion, in their ongoing game ofone-upmanship.
As the series progresses, it becomes increasingly obvious that Mr. Sheffield is smitten with Fran, although he will not admit it, and Fran is clearly smitten with him. The show teases the viewers with their closeness, featuring many "near-misses" and moments of jealousy, as well as an engagement. In the later seasons, the two do finally marry and expand their family by havingfraternal twins named Jonah and Eve.[6] Later in the series, it is also clear that Niles and C.C.'s constant sharp barbs are their own bizarre form offlirtation and affection; after a few false-starts (including multiple impulsive and failed proposals from Niles), the pair marry in the same delivery room where Fran is giving birth to the twins, and subsequently discover they, too, are expecting a child.
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | Rank | Rating[a] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||||
| 1 | 22 | November 3, 1993 (1993-11-3) | May 16, 1994 (1994-5-16) | 65[7] | 9.5[7] | |
| 2 | 26 | September 12, 1994 (1994-9-12) | May 22, 1995 (1995-5-22) | 25[8] | 12.5[8] | |
| 3 | 27 | September 11, 1995 (1995-9-11) | May 20, 1996 (1996-5-20) | 16[9] | 12.5[9] | |
| 4 | 26 | September 18, 1996 (1996-9-18) | May 21, 1997 (1997-5-21) | 46[10] | 9.1[10] | |
| 5 | 23 | October 1, 1997 (1997-10-1) | May 13, 1998 (1998-5-13) | 50[11] | 11.5[11] | |
| 6 | 22 | September 30, 1998 (1998-9-30) | June 23, 1999 (1999-6-23) | 84[12] | 9.3[12] | |
The Nanny maintained anensemble cast, keeping the same set of characters for its entire six-season run.
Although largely operating around the main ensemble cast,The Nanny featured an enormous number of guest stars over the years. Notable repeat guests includedLainie Kazan as Fran's paternal aunt Freida,[13]Steve Lawrence as Fran's never before seen father Morty Fine,[13]Pamela Anderson as Fran's bubble-headed nemesis Heather Biblow,[13]Jonathan Penner as Fran's old boyfriend Danny Imperiali,Ray Charles as Yetta's fiancé Sammy,[13]Spalding Gray as Fran's therapist Dr. Jack Miller,[13]Fred Stoller as the frequently featured pharmacist Fred,[13] andAndrew Levitas as Maggie's boyfriend Michael.[13] Several celebrities guested as characters in single episodes, such asJason Alexander,John Astin,Roseanne Barr as Fran's cousin Sheila,Eric Braeden,Margaret Cho,Joan Collins as Maxwell's stepmother,Jeanne Cooper,Cloris Leachman,Dina Merrill as Maxwell's mother,Rita Moreno,George Murdock,Wallace Shawn,Twiggy as Maxwell's sister (in her first appearance, in season 1),Robert Urich,Joan Van Ark,Robert Vaughn as Maxwell's father, andEfrem Zimbalist Jr.
Others appeared as themselves, primarily in connection with Maxwell's business relations, such asDan Aykroyd,Bob Barker,Carol Channing,Chevy Chase,Andrew Dice Clay,Robert Culp,Billy Ray Cyrus,Lesley-Anne Down,Erik Estrada,Eydie Gormé,Hugh Grant,Elton John,Richard Kline,Joe Lando,Shari Lewis andLamb Chop,Bette Midler,Shemar Moore,Joshua Morrow,Lynn Redgrave,Melody Thomas Scott,Jane Seymour, DameElizabeth Taylor,Alex Trebek andHunter Tylo; media personalitiesRoger Clinton,Whoopi Goldberg,Jay Leno,David Letterman,Alicia Machado,Rosie O'Donnell,Sally Jessy Raphael andDonald Trump; and musiciansBurt Bacharach,Michael Bolton,Ray Charles, rapperCoolio,Celine Dion,Eartha Kitt,Patti LaBelle,Steve Lawrence,Lisa Loeb, andBrian Setzer.Jonathan Penner appeared as Fran's former fiancé, Danny Imperialli.James Marsden appeared as Maggie's boyfriend, Eddie, andTelma Hopkins appeared as Fran's "mother" in the episode "Fran's Roots".Scott Baio also made an appearance as a rookie doctor who was Fran's former schoolmate.Marvin Hamlisch appeared as Fran's former high school music teacher, a Hamlisch look-alike.Jon Stewart portrayed a Jewish love interest of Fran's until it was discovered at a family wedding that the two were cousins; on the June 29, 2011, airing ofThe Daily Show, Stewart stated he agreed to make an appearance after receiving a personal call from Drescher.[14]
Drescher also reprised her role of Bobbi Fleckman from the 1984 filmThis Is Spinal Tap and made acameo appearance as herself in the third to last episode. Shaughnessy had a double role as a fictional Middle Eastern oil potentate in one episode. Drescher's real-life parents initially appeared as a couple in the waiting room of Gracie's therapist and made subsequent appearances as Fran's Uncle Stanley and Aunt Rose; herPomeranian Chester appeared as C.C.'s pet in more than a dozen episodes. Renée Taylor's husband, actorJoseph Bologna, and their son Gabriel Bologna had guest roles on the show.Ray Romano appeared as Fran's former high school classmateRay Barone, linkingThe Nanny with his comedyEverybody Loves Raymond. Romano and Drescher both actually knew each other in high school.[15]Tom Bergeron appeared as himself, the host ofHollywood Squares, in an episode in which Maxwell appeared as a star on the show's board as a replacement forAndrew Lloyd Webber.Tyne Daly appeared as a fellow nanny facing forced retirement.David Letterman made an uncredited appearance during a fantasy sequence, where Fran describes how she exaggerated her fame to impress a pen pal.Donna Douglas, who played Elly Mae Clampett onThe Beverly Hillbillies, made her last television appearance in an episode.
The theme song featured in the pilot was a version of "If My Friends Could See Me Now", performed byGwen Verdon from the 1966 Broadway musicalSweet Charity.[16] Following the pilot, the theme changed to "The Nanny Named Fran", written byAnn Hampton Callaway and performed by her and her sisterLiz Callaway.[17] Along with the change of the theme song came a different, animated opening sequence that would be used for the entire series run. Like the song, it summarizes the events that lead Fran from losing her job and boyfriend to being hired as nanny of the Sheffield children.
The sequence begins with Fran walking into the bridal shop, only to be kicked out. A taxicab takes her across the bridge fromQueens toManhattan, and she arrives at the Sheffield mansion to sell cosmetics. Maxwell opens the door and pulls Fran into the house. She falls into a flowerpot, where Niles dusts her off and puts a cap marked "Nanny" on her head. At her whistle, Maxwell's children fall in behind her and the four form aconga line. C.C. arrives at the door and Fran bumps it with her hip to close it in her face. Finally, the Sheffields, Niles and Fran gather on and around the couch for a group picture. However, the camera explodes when Fran triggers its shutter, covering everyone with soot and ruining their hair and clothes.
The Nanny began in 1991 with a chance meeting on a transatlantic flight between Drescher and Jeff Sagansky, at the time president ofCBS Corporation, for whom she had starred in the short-lived TV seriesPrincesses. Drescher persuaded Sagansky to let her and her then-husband Jacobson pitch an idea for a sitcom to CBS. Sagansky agreed to a future meeting once all of the parties were back in Los Angeles; however, neither Drescher nor Jacobson had any idea what to pitch.[18]
Later, Drescher was visiting friendTwiggy Lawson and her family inLondon, where she went on a culture-clash shopping tour with Lawson's then-teenage daughter. Drescher was inspired by her behavior towards the teenage daughter on the shopping trip as functioning in a less parental but "humorous [...] kind of Queens logic, self-serving advice" mode.[4] Drescher immediately called her husband in Los Angeles with her sitcom idea, which she pitched as a spin onThe Sound of Music, except, in Drescher's words, "Instead ofJulie Andrews,I come to the door." Jacobson replied: "That could be it" and the idea forThe Nanny was spawned.[19]
Back in Los Angeles, the pair pitched their idea to Tim Flack and Joe Voci, both in comedy development at CBS.[4] Sagansky brought in experienced producers Robert Sternin and Prudence Fraser,[4] another husband-and-wife team with whom Drescher had worked before while guesting onWho's the Boss? in 1985 and 1986.[20] Interested, both couples teamed up to write the script for the pilot together, creating a character with the intention to build off Drescher's image. "Our business strategy was to create a show that was going to complement our writing, complement me as a talent," Drescher said in a 1997 interview withThe Hollywood Reporter. As a result, the characters draw deeply on the Drescher family, includingFran Fine's parents, Sylvia and Morty, and grandmother Yetta, who all were named after their real-life counterparts.[4]
Drescher also drew from her own life in creating her character. Like the character inThe Nanny, Drescher was born and raised to a Jewish family inFlushing, Queens, and attendedbeauty school. However, unlike her on-screen counterpart, Drescher never worked in a bridal shop; Drescher wrote that into the character as a tribute to her mother, who did work in a bridal shop.[21] While visiting with his relatives inFort Lauderdale around the holidays, Sagansky watched a few episodes with his relatives, realized that he had a hit, and ordered a full 22 episodes forthe first season.[22]
Most of the early episodes ofThe Nanny were shot in front of a live studio audience on Stage 6 at theCulver Studios. On Mondays, the cast went through the script as atable read. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, they rehearsed before the series' producers and executives. And, on Thursdays and Fridays, the series was shot using a multi-camera set-up in front of a live studio audience. During later seasons the taping was no longer performed before an audience due to the complexities of thefantasy sequences, costume changes, etc.[23]
Nearly 100 crew members were involved in the shooting of a single episode.[24] Although Drescher, Fraser, Jacobson and Sternin, the show's only executive producers for the first four seasons, coordinated "pretty much everything" at the beginning,[24] according to Sternin, they eventually found their niche and in the following years, Drescher and Sternin decided to focus on writing story outlines, while Jacobson presided over the writing team, and Fraser observed the run-throughs.[24] The four of them were later joined by Frank Lombardi, Caryn Lucas and Diane Wilk, who served as the series' executive producers throughout the fifth and sixth seasons.[13]
Stemming from ahome invasion and attack she experienced in 1985,Fran Drescher requested the show to provideprescreenedaudiences, based upon her fear of having random strangers invited to the productions. The show hiredCentral Casting to gather a cast of "laughers" who would be recorded during taping. The audio track of the laughers would then be added to the episodes in post-production.Casting director Lisette St. Claire became the world's first "laugher wrangler" for this new type of service.[25][26]
The comedy inThe Nanny was formulated with manyrunning gags, which contributed heavily to the success of the series. Much of this formula was character-based, with all major characters possessing a specific trait or quirks that provided a source of parody for other characters. The conflicting elements of each character's own comedy were often played off against one another (Fran andMaxwell,Niles andC.C.,Maggie andBrighton). Occasionally the characters would break thefourth wall and comment on the situations themselves, or Fran would comment to the audience or look into the camera. Other running gags are the many references toBeatles songs and the musicalsFiddler on the Roof andMy Fair Lady. Most of the humor Fran uses is aimed toward a Jewish audience. She makes references to Yiddish words and teaches the Sheffield children to be stereotypical Jews. Much of this humor is featured in scenes including her mother, Sylvia.
At times, they would also make humorous references to the stars' previous careers or real-life off-screen time. This was noticeable when Yetta saw her reflection in the mirror and thought she was seeing Millie Helper fromThe Dick Van Dyke Show (the role that Guilbert played), Maxwell remembering how he wanted to hire a former cast member fromDays of Our Lives but thought he was not "British" enough (a reference to Shaughnessy's former series), and C.C. using props to hide Lane's real-life pregnancy at the time.[27] Drescher also appeared in the series as tough-talking music publicist Bobbi Fleckman, reprising her role fromThis Is Spinal Tap, setting up a visual gag where Fran would disguise herself as Fleckman in order to get Mr. Sheffield's attention. More running gags include Fran's frequent references to classic TV sitcoms (Gilligan's Island andBewitched) and her many eccentric family members; Fran lying about her age—especially to men; Maxwell fighting through his rivalry with actual Broadway producerAndrew Lloyd Webber; Maxwell's physical resemblance toPierce Brosnan; Maxwell's fondness forKaye Ballard; and Sylvia loving food in excess.[27]
In one episode Streisand's sister,Roslyn Kind appears singing a song with Fran thinking Barbra is at the Sheffield home. There was also the occasional tryst between Niles and C.C., contrasting with their typical open disdain for each other, which was actually love. Season 4 featured a running gag where both Fran and Maxwell kept secret from the other household members "The Thing" (Maxwell telling Fran he loves her in the season 3 finale). It is also following "The Thing" that whenever Maxwell makes comments denying he has feelings for Fran, she is temporarily "paralyzed". In addition, there is also a great deal ofphysical comedy inThe Nanny including exaggerated falls and chases.
Drescher's facial expressions, when shocked or surprised, can also be seen as reminiscent ofLucille Ball's portrayals ofLucy Ricardo andLucy Carmichael.[28] The parallels were suggested in a few episodes, where an exasperated Mr. Sheffield refers to Fran as "Mrs. Carmichael", and asks in another: "Mr. Mooney fire you from the bank again?" Another Lucy reference is when he alludes to Fran and "Ethel" stealingJohn Wayne's footprints in Hollywood, and again when Maxwell says, "Miss Fine, you got some 'splaining to do!" like Ricky Ricardo often said to Lucy Ricardo. The episode that featured a visit fromElizabeth Taylor (who also appeared onHere's Lucy) began with Maxwell and Niles trying to hide the visit from Fran ("Boys, boys, boys. Now do you think my mother gave birth to a dummy 25 years ago?") followed by her gripe "You never introduce me to any of the stars that you know; I've got a good mind to take Little Ricky and... oh. Never mind." In another episode ofThe Nanny, Fran sees a man watchingI Love Lucy on TV and as the theme song plays, she gets the idea to gain entry into Sheffield's men's only club dressed as a man.
The show began off-network syndication in September 1997, distributed byColumbia TriStar Television Distribution on various broadcast television networks in the United States. The show aired onLifetime from 2000 until 2008. It could also be seen onNick at Nite from April 2009 to October 5, 2013, in the United States, but was pulled and its timeslot of 6AM-7AM was replaced withHangin' With Mr. Cooper. It also appears onThe Hallmark Channel in the Philippines,Super RTL andVOX in Germany, andGo! andTV1 in Australia. On February 8, 2010, Drescher hosted a week-long marathon ofThe Nanny, titled "Valentine Schmalentine", on Nick at Nite.[29]
The success of the stunt led to Fran hosting "Falling for Fran", a similar week-long Valentine's Day marathon in February 2011.On August 2, 2010,The Nanny began airing onTV Land, commencing with a week-long marathon and remained on the channel until 2016.[30] On January 1, 2011,The Nanny began airing onAntenna TV, a new digital broadcast network. On August 16, 2011, "The Nanny" began airing onLogo. On January 1, 2018,Cozi TV started airing the show. Similarly, on April 30, 2018,Freeform began airing the series, showing 5-episode blocks in the early morning hours. Additionally, the show can be seen on local US television channels.
The series' third and fourth seasons are available for streaming onPluto TV,The Roku Channel rotates between seasons 1–2 and 3–4, and on April 1, 2021, the entire series became available onHBO Max.[31] The entire series is also available to stream onPeacock as of March 18, 2024. The entire series is available to stream, for free with ads on theCTV app in Canada under the "Throwbacks" section. In 2021, Sony Pictures launched a channel dedicated to the show onYouTube and posted some episodes and clips of the show.[32]
Outside of North America,The Nanny is broadcast in various other countries and television networks, each with their own schedule for the series. In the United Kingdom, the entire series aired on the digital networkLiving. In France, the show was broadcast and rebroadcast the same multi-and was a huge success on the channelM6 then W9. The French title isUne nounou d'enfer ("A Hell of a Nanny"). In Italy Fran was in the dubbing became Francesca, an Italian from Ciociaria (a rural area).The Nanny airs include:
| Country / Region | Name | Television Network | Dubbing /Subtitles |
|---|---|---|---|
 Austria | Die Nanny(English: "The Nanny") | ORF1(2005–present),[33]ATV(2006–2010) | German |
 Australia | The Nanny | Network Ten(1994–1999),Nine Network(2007–2009),9Go!(2009–2011, 2020–),GEM(2010–2011),7flix(2016–2019),TV1(1998–2013),TV Hits(2014),111(2014–2019) | None |
 Belgium | The Nanny | Eén,VT4,VIJF,VTM, | Dutch subtitles |
| Belgium | Une nounou d'enfer(English: "A Hell of a Nanny") | RTL-TV,Plug RTL(2011–2012) | French |
 Brazil | The Nanny | Rede Record,Rede 21,SET,Comedy Central (2012–present) | Portuguese dubbing |
 Canada | The Nanny | Crossroads Television System,CBC (November 3, 1993 – May 16, 1994),CTV Television Network (September 12, 1994 - June 23, 1999) | None |
 Catalonia | La Tata(English: "The Nanny") | TV3 | Catalan dubbing |
 Costa Rica | La Niñera | Sony Entertainment Television | Spanish dubbing |
 Croatia | Dadilja(English: "Nanny") | RTL Televizija[34] | Croatian subtitles |
 Czech Republic | Chůva k pohledání(English: "Nanny") | TV Prima[35] | Czech dubbing |
 Denmark | Alletiders barnepige(English: "All-times greatest nanny") | TV3[36] | Danish subtitles |
 Estonia | Nanny | TV3 | Estonian subtitles |
 Finland | Nanny | Nelonen,The Voice | Finnish subtitles |
 France | Une nounou d'enfer(English:A Hell of a Nanny) | M6,W9, 6ter,TMC,TF1 Séries Films | French |
 Germany | Die Nanny(English: "The Nanny")[37] | VOX(2002–2011),Super RTL(2007–2012),RTL(1995–2002),FOX Germany(2010–2012),ZDF neo (2012–2014),Disney Channel(2014–2021),RTLup(2021–present) | German dubbing |
 Greece | Ntanta amesou draseos(English: "Urgent nanny") | Mega,Alpha,Makedonia TV | Greek subtitles |
 Hungary | A dadus(English: "The Nanny") | TV2,RTL Klub,Cool TV | Hungarian |
 Israel | Nanny | Channel 3 | Hebrew subtitles |
 Italy | La tata(English: "The Nanny") | Canale 5(1995),Italia 1(1996–2000),Boing(2006),Mya(2008),Fox Life(2009),La5(2011),Fox Retro(2011) | Italian dubbing |
| Latin America | The Nanny | Sony Entertainment Television (Latin America) | Spanish dubbing |
 Latvia | Auklīte(English: "Nanny") | Duo 6[38] | Latvian dubbing |
 Lithuania | Auklė(English: "Nanny") | TV3 | Lithuanian dubbing |
 Malaysia | The Nanny | TV2,Astro | Bahasa Malaysia subtitles |
 Mexico | The Nanny | Azteca 7,Sony Entertainment Television (Latin America) | Spanish dubbing |
 Netherlands | The Nanny | NPO1,RTL 5,NET5,RTL Lounge | Dutch subtitles |
 Norway | Nanny | TV3 | Norwegian subtitles |
 Philippines | The Nanny | ABS-CBN,Studio 23 | None |
 Poland | Niania /Pomoc domowa(English: "House helper") | TV Puls,Polsat,TVN 7 | Polish |
 Portugal | Competente e Descarada(English: "Competent and shameless") | TVI | Portuguese Subtitles |
 Romania | Dădaca(English: "Nanny") | Pro TV,Pro Cinema | Romanian Subtitles |
 Russia | Няня(English: "Nanny") | Domashny, ДТВ | Russian dubbing |
 Spain | La niñera(English: "The Nanny") | Antena 3(2001),Telemadrid(1993–1999) | Spanish |
 Sweden | Nanny | TV3,TV4 | Swedish subtitles |
 Switzerland | Die Nanny(English: "The Nanny") | SF zwei(2006–2008), 4+(2015–present) | German |
| Switzerland | La Tata(English: "The Nanny") | RSI LA1 | Italian |
 Thailand | The Nanny | Hallmark,TrueVisions | Thai |
 United Kingdom Ireland | The Nanny | Sky One,Living TV,TLC | None |
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released seasons 1, 2 and 3 ofThe Nanny on DVD in regions 1, 2 and 4. Season 3 was released on March 17, 2009, in Region 1, almost three years after the release of season 2.[39] On August 27, 2013, it was announced that Mill Creek Entertainment had acquired the rights to various television series from the Sony Pictures library includingThe Nanny.[40] They subsequently re-released the first two seasons on DVD on August 5, 2014.[41]
On January 12, 2015, it was announced thatShout! Factory had acquired the rights to the series; they subsequently released a complete series set on May 26, 2015. It contains all 146 episodes.[42][43] In late 2015, Shout! began releasing individual season sets; the fourth season was released on September 22, 2015,[44] followed by the fifth season on December 22, 2015.[45] The sixth and final season was released on March 15, 2016.[46][47]
DVD name | Ep # | Release dates | Special features | ||
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | |||
| The Complete 1st Season | 22 | July 12, 2005 | August 9, 2005 | July 13, 2005 |
|
| The Complete 2nd Season | 26 | May 2, 2006 | June 8, 2006 | May 10, 2006 |
|
| The Complete 3rd Season | 27 | March 17, 2009 | March 5, 2009 | March 11, 2009 |
|
| The Complete 4th Season | 26 | September 22, 2015 | TBA | TBA |
|
| The Complete 5th Season | 23 | December 22, 2015 | TBA | TBA |
|
| The Complete 6th Season | 22 | March 15, 2016 | TBA | TBA |
|
| The Complete Series | 146 | May 26, 2015 | TBA | TBA |
|
The show received positive critical reviews, with an 85% "fresh" rating onRotten Tomatoes for the first season. The website's consensus reads: "Fran Drescher elevatesThe Nanny's formulaic writing with chutzpah, hairspray, and a one-of-a-kind comedic performance."[48] However, the show performed poorly in its first year; when it was nearly cancelled,CBS executive Jeff Sagansky championed the show, citing the pilot's historically high test numbers. According to Jacobson: "At all those affiliate meetings, he used to say, 'Stick byThe Nanny!' He knew it was something special."[4]
Although later emerging as a favorite atCBS, sponsors questioned whether the writers had ventured too far in terms of ethnicity and Drescher acted too obviously Jewish.[4] The actress, however, declined to change Fran Fine into an Italian American: "On TV, you have to work fast, and the most real, the most rooted in reality to me is Jewish. I wanted to do it closest to what I knew."[49] By contrast, the producers came to the conclusion that to oppose her should be a family of British origin, so "she wouldn't come across as Jewish so much as the American you were rooting for," Sternin explained. "The idea was to make her the American girl who happens to be Jewish rather than the Jewish girl working for theWASPs."[4]
| Year | Award-giving Body | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Young Artist Awards | Youth Actress Leading Role in a Television Series (Nicholle Tom) | Nominated |
| 1994 | Young Artist Awards | Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Television Series (Benjamin Salisbury,Nicholle Tom,Madeline Zima) | Nominated |
| 1994 | Young Artist Awards | Best New Television Series | Nominated |
| 1995 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Costuming for a Series (Brenda Cooper, for'Canasta Masta') | Won |
| 1995 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing for a Comedy Series (Lee Shallat Chemel, for'Canasta Masta') | Nominated |
| 1995 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series (Dugg Kirkpatrick, for'Stock Tip') | Nominated |
| 1995 | Young Artist Awards | Best Performance by a Youth Ensemble in a Television Series (Benjamin Salisbury, Nicholle Tom,Madeline Zima) | Nominated |
| 1995 | Young Artist Awards | Best Performance by a Youth Actress – TV Guest Star (Jacqueline Tone) | Nominated |
| 1995 | Young Artist Awards | Best Performance by an Actress Under Ten in a TV Series (Madeline Zima) | Nominated |
| 1996 | American Comedy Awards | Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) Network, Cable or Syndication (Fran Drescher) | Nominated |
| 1996 | BMI Film & TV Awards | BMI TV Music Award (Timothy Thompson) | Won |
| 1996 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical (Fran Drescher) | Nominated |
| 1996 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Costuming for a Series (Brenda Cooper, for'The Kibbutz') | Nominated |
| 1996 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Fran Drescher) | Nominated |
| 1996 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Renée Taylor) | Nominated |
| 1996 | Young Artist Awards | Best Performance by a Young Actor – TV Comedy Series (Benjamin Salisbury) | Won |
| 1996 | Young Artist Awards | Best Performance by a Young Actress – TV Comedy Series (Madeline Zima) | Nominated |
| 1996 | Young Artist Awards | Best Performance by a Young Actress – TV Comedy Series (Nicholle Tom) | Nominated |
| 1997 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical (Fran Drescher) | Nominated |
| 1997 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Costuming for a Series (Brenda Cooper, for'The Rosie Show') | Nominated |
| 1997 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Costuming for a Series (Shawn Holly Cookson and Terry Gordon, for'The Facts of Lice') | Nominated |
| 1997 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Fran Drescher) | Nominated |
| 1997 | Satellite Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy (Fran Drescher) | Nominated |
| 1998 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series (Jimmy E. Jensen, for'The Wedding') | Nominated |
| 1998 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Costuming for a Series (Shawn Holly Cookson and Terry Gordon, for'Not Without My Nanny') | Nominated |
| 1998 | Young Artist Awards | Best Performance by a Young Actress – TV Comedy Series (Madeline Zima) | Nominated |
| 1998 | Young Artist Awards | Best Performance by a Young Actor – TV Comedy Series (Benjamin Salisbury) | Nominated |
| 1999 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Whoopi Goldberg) | Nominated |
| 1999 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Costuming for a Series (Shawn Holly Cookson and Terry Gordon, for'Oh Say, Can You Ski?') | Nominated |
| 1999 | TeleVizier-Ring Gala, Netherlands | Silver TeleVizier-Tulip | Won |
| 1999 | TV Guide Award | Favorite Actress in a Comedy (Fran Drescher) | Nominated |
| 1999 | Young Artist Awards | Best Performance by a Young Actress – TV Comedy Series (Madeline Zima) | Nominated |
| 1999 | Young Artist Awards | Best Performance by a Young Actor – TV Comedy Series (Benjamin Salisbury) | Nominated |
| 2008 | TV Land Awards | Favorite Nanny (Fran Drescher) | Won |
| 2019 | Online Film & Television Association Hall of Fame | Television Program[50][51] | Won |
On December 6, 2004, theLifetime network aired a reunion specialThe Nanny Reunion: A Nosh to Remember. The special reunited the entire cast with the exception of Davis, who had work commitments. Drescher and Gary Rosenthal served as executive producers of the special. In March 2020, Drescher announced that the cast would reunite for a live reading of the pilot episode amid theCOVID-19 pandemic.[52] The reading was released toYouTube by Sony Pictures Television on April 6, 2020. The reading featured the entire cast of the pilot—with the exception ofJames Marsden, who was replaced by Alex Sternin—as well as narration of the original pilot script by Jacobson and a live performance of the theme song by Ann Callaway.[53]
The Nanny was shown in more than eighty countries worldwide. In addition, several local versions of the show have been produced in other countries. These shows follow the original scripts very closely, but with minor alterations in order to adapt to their respective country's culture. The remake in Russia was so popular that some original American writers of the show were commissioned to write new scripts after all original episodes were remade.[54]
In June 2018, in regards to reviving the series, Drescher said, "We’re talking about it. Peter and I are talking about it," Drescher toldEntertainment Tonight, referencing her ex-husband, Peter Marc Jacobson, who co-created the series with her. "She would’ve maybe gotten involved in more things [that] Fran Drescher is involved with," the actress toldEntertainment Tonight. "All kinds of things from environmental issues, to health, to civil liberties, that’s what I think Fran [Fine] would be doing now – opening her big Queens mouth for the greater good."[55]
On January 8, 2020, it was announced that Drescher and Jacobson were writing the book for a musical adaptation of the series.Rachel Bloom andAdam Schlesinger ofCrazy Ex-Girlfriend fame were to write the songs, while Marc Bruni (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) was slated to direct. Drescher will not portray the title role, as she joked that if she did "We'd have to change the title toThe Granny."[56] However, since Schlesinger's unexpected death fromCOVID-19, the status of the musical is unknown.
The series finale ofThe Nanny aired on May 12, 1999. Because they had not been shown in March and April as originally scheduled, CBS showed the six unaired season 6 episodes in June 1999. The last first-run episodes ofThe Nanny aired on June 23, 1999.
While a student at Hillcrest High (where The Nanny's Fran Drescher was a classmate), he performed in a comedy troupe at church.
